Time latch



F. SKOKO Jan. 15, 1935.

TIME LATCH Filed Feb. 7, 1934 v n /MM A TTOR Z 5 my m M y E Z \(d// \//r.

y M k a Patented Jan. 15, 1935 TIME LATCH Frank Skoko, Portland, Oreg.

Application February 7,

Claims;

I provide a device to be attached to a door, window, drawer or the like the desired interval of locked closure of which may be predetermined. A complementary striker is adapted to the door 5 jamb, window frame, drawer-stretcher and the like, with which my device engages. A latching member within the body of my device is freely journaled about a suitable support and. in the normal inoperative position is vertically disposed, being held in this position by gravity, its mass being so distributed with reference to its support that it is in a state of unstable equilibrium when horizontally disposed. To be placed in operative position this latch member is raised to a horizontal position and supported there by an adjustable sear which in turn is progressed by a clockwork mechanism. The length of the latch member engaged by the sear determines the time interval that will elapse with the sear supporting the latch member.

At the expiration of this time interval the sear I having progressed to apoint where it releases the latch member, becomes inoperative and the latch member assumes its vertical position and concurrently disengages with the striker, permitting the door or other closure to be manipulated in the customary manner.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a means whereby a door or the like may be so positively locked for a predetermined interval of time at the expiration of which the door becomes automatically unlocked.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby a door or the like may be locked for a period of time the duration of which may be varied by short increments from a period of but a few minutes to a period of a number of hours or even days.

A still further object of my invention is to provide time locking means that will be comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, that will be simple to use, that can be set with facility, and that will be free from operating annoyances over a long period of time.

These and other objects will appear as my invention is more fully hereinafter described in the 1934, Serial No. 710,132

Fig. 3 is an obverse view of the clockwork mechanism, the sear and the accompanying parts of my device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional end view of my device showing an inter-relation of the sear and the accompanying parts. This view is taken on line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the journal about'which the latch member is disposed.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views:

I provide a rectangular base 1 preferably made of sheet metal and upon an end 2 aflix a hinge 3 .to which is hung a cover 4. A shoulder screw 5 is threadedly mounted upon the base 1 and has a latch member 6 journaled thereabout. The latch member 6 has its mass so distributed with reference to the support about which it is journalled that it is in a state of unstable equilibrium when horizontally disposed.

The latch member 6 has a chamber '7 of rec tangular cross section disposed in one of its ends. A reactance means as a coil spring 8 is mounted within the chamber 7 and is retained therein by bolt 9 which is slidably mounted within the entrance to the chamber. The bolt 9 has a transverse slot 10 extending horizontally therethrough, adapted to freely encompass the shoulder screw 5, with which it coacts to limit the longitudinal displacement of the bolt. The normally protruding end of the bolt is beveled on one of its sides 11 to facilitate engagement with a striker 12.

A sear 13 provided with an integral rack 14 is longitudinally slidably mounted within brackets 15 and 16 and is adapted for adjustably extensible engagement with the latch member 6.

A clockwork mechanism 17 is suitably attached as by screws 18 to the base 1 and is provided with a spring winding thumb piece 19 and a time setting thumb screw 20. 4 r

The clockwork mechanism 1'7 is adapted to rotate a pinion 21 which in turn coacts with the rack 14 to impart longitudinal movement to the sear 13.

The longitudinal displacement of the sear 13 is limited by arcuate walls 22 that terminate the rack 14. These arcuate walls are adapted to engage with the outside diameter of the pinion 21, limiting the movement of the sear 13.

The pinion 21 is mounted upon a pinion shaft 23, which maybe manually rotated by manipulation of thumb screw 20.

A series of graduations 24 is delineated upon the base 1 and transversely of the line of movement of the sear 13. Indicia 25 identify these graduations to enable the user to set the sear for the desired time interval during which the device will remain in operative position.

In use, the base 1 is adapted for mounting as upon a door 2'1 by screws 28, and the striker is adapted for mounting as upon a door frame 29 by screws 30.

To operate my device, the hinged cover 4 is opened, giving free access to the interior mechanism. The latch member 6 is placed in a horizontal position and maintained therein by the sear 13 which is made to register, by the thumb screw 20, with that graduation corresponding to the period of time for which the device is to remain operative. The clockwork mechanism is then wound up by manipulation of thumb piece*l9.

The bolt 9 is then engaged with the striker 12 by-which it is retained. It will be noted that the bolt 9 may be set so as to function with equal facility upon inwardly or outwardly opening doors.

At the expiration of the time period for which the device is set, the sear 13 releases the latch member 6, which assumes a vertical position, as shown by the dotted outline in Fig. 1, thus releasing the striker 12 and permitting the door, or other structure to which it is attached, to be opened.

It is apparent that once a door, vault, vehicle or other appliance to which my device is attached is locked thereby, it will remain locked until the expiration of the time interval for which my device is set, thus preventing unauthorized entry or use thereof.

It is also apparent that the rate of travel of the sear 13, controlled by the escapement setting of the clockwork mechanism, may be made to conform to the requirements of the specific application by the selection of a suitably rated clockwork.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention I am aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base plate, a shouldered journal pin threadedly attached thereto, a covering means hingedly attached to one side thereof, a latch member journaled about the journal pin, chronometrical means attached to the base plate and actuating a pinion, a pair of bearing brackets mounted upon the chronometrical means and diametrically spaced with reference to the pinion, a sear slidably mounted in the bearing brackets and having an integral rack adapted to coact with the pinion, a plurality of graduations arranged upon the base plate and indicia referring to the graduations, the sear being adapted to coact with the latch member for an interval indicated by the graduations.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with chronometrical means, of a longitudinally displaceable sear and a latch member coacting therewith, and a bolt member longitudinally slidable with reference to the latch member.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with chronometrical means, of a longi tudinally displaceable sear, a latch member coacting therewith and a series of graduations, the sear being adapted for selective positioning 1ongitudinallyv with reference to the graduations.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with settable timing means, of a latch body, a horizontally disposed spindle journaled through the latch body, a reactance member disposed within the latch body, a bolt slidably disposed within said latch body and coacting with said reactance member, and a longitudinally slidable sear coacting with said timing means to release the latch body upon the termination of the set time.

5.' In a device of the class described, the combination with settable timing means, of a pivoted latch member, a bolt member slidably mounted in the latch member, said latch member being adapted to gravitational displacement in a vertical plane, and maintained in a horizontal position for a predetermined time interval by chronometrically progressed means.

FRANK SKOKO. 

